Controversial Software ShotSpotter Gets a Corporate Rebrand After Stock Tanks

ShotSpotter, which provides a controversial gunfire tracking service to dozens of cities around the United States, is rebranding after its stock plummeted last week. The new name, SoundThinking, “reflects the company’s focus on public safety through industry-leading law enforcement tools and community-focused solutions for non-law enforcement entities to utilize for a holistic approach to violence prevention, social services and economic assistance,” the company wrote in a press release Monday. Only the corporate name will be changed—ShotSpotter will remain the name of the gunshot detection service, which has come under fire in the past for concerns over its accuracy, privacy and overwhelmingly higher deployment rate in communities of color. The company’s stock took a dive last week after Brandon Johnson, a progressive Democrat, won Chicago’s mayoral election and pledged to end the city’s contract with the company.